Which airway technique is preferred for potential cervical spine injury?

• A. Head-Tilt Chin-Lift
• B. Suction
• C. Jaw-Thrust Maneuver
• D. OPA insertion

Answer: (C)

In a potential cervical spine injury, the airway must be opened without moving the neck. The jaw-thrust maneuver achieves this by lifting the mandible forward to move the tongue away from the back of the throat, which opens the airway while keeping the head and neck in a neutral position. This minimizes any flexion, extension, or rotation of the cervical spine, reducing the risk of worsening spinal injury.

By contrast, techniques that tilt or extend the neck, like the head-tilt chin-lift, could compromise spinal stability. Suction helps clear secretions but doesn’t by itself open the airway. An oropharyngeal airway can maintain patency, but it doesn’t actively open the airway without head/neck movement and is typically used after establishing a jaw-thrust when appropriate.

So, the maneuver that best preserves cervical spine alignment while securing the airway is the jaw-thrust maneuver.